The disclosures herein relate generally to computer systems and more particularly to a glass antenna for use in a laptop computer.
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
More mobile computers are becoming wireless with the expansion of wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN), Personal Area Networks (PAN), and Wide Area Networks (WWAN). Wireless systems use a digital protocol to talk to a radio, which then broadcasts or receives computer data or images using an antenna. As in all radio technologies, both the antenna type and its"" placement are critical to the performance of the radio. Some current laptops place the antenna in the base of the laptop. This can lead to problems with the antenna""s radiated field.
When typing, users move their hands around the antenna. This provides a capacitive coupling which can drain energy from the antenna. Any antenna energy coupled to a user is not used to communicate with an access point. Therefore, communication performance is degraded.
When users put the laptop computer on their lap, an antenna placed in the base can capacitively couple to the user""s legs. Again, this drains energy from the antenna, degrading the communications performance.
Antennas that extend out of the unit can break as the unit is being transported. If the antenna is supposed to be recessed into the laptop prior to moving, it becomes a nuisance for users to extend and retract the antenna whenever they move their location.
Metal structures in the base unit (drives, key springs, circuit board patterns, etc.) can negatively influence the radiated pattern.
Sometimes it is necessary to separate two antennas as far apart as possible. This is called diversity. The purpose of diversity is to receive a better signal. A diversity algorithm will periodically look at the received signal from both antennas and choose the antenna with the strongest signal. The base unit of the laptop is packed and separating the antennas can sometimes be difficult, because space is at a premium.
One manufacturer reportedly uses an antenna in the display housing. This enables the use of larger dipole antennas but it will be an additional step (or cost) to place the unit in the display housing at final assembly.
Another manufacturer has a slot in the back side of the display. The antenna for the wireless cards is imbedded in the module that plugs into the MultiPort slot. This solution is readily configurable, but modularity brings higher cost. This solution also provides a limited area for the antenna placement and diversity (the ability for one of two separated antennas to provide a substantially better received signal.
Finally, it is well known that automobiles sometimes have the AM/FM radio antenna imbedded into the windshield.
Therefore, what is needed is a laptop having an antenna installed within the display glass. Laptop array displays have a layer of glass over them to protect the array surface. An antenna that is imbedded on or within the covering glass has a large surface area in which to place the antenna structure, as long as the conductors used are not visible to the laptop user. This allows both a larger area to implement an antenna structure as well as the spatial separation to provide antenna diversity.
One embodiment, accordingly, provides an antenna in the laptop display glass. To this end, a portable computer includes a base and a top mounted in the base. A non-conductive transparent display layer is mounted in the top and includes a channel formed therein that contains layers of transparent conductive and transparent non-conductive materials. A cable is connected to the base. A cable extension is coupled to and extends from the cable. The cable extension is imbedded in the channel. An antenna is coupled to the cable extension and is imbedded in the channel.
A principal advantage of these embodiments is that a range of different antennas can be placed in the display glass during manufacture of the laptop.